Become a Tutor
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How to Become a Private Tutor?

If you're asking yourself, "How do I become a tutor?" or "How do I find tutoring jobs near me?" you've come to the right place. Starting your tutoring job is very simple. In fact, by landing on this page you're already halfway there. In just 10 minutes, you can create your online tutoring advert on Superprof, and you can start advertising lessons locally and via webcam. The only thing we ask is a little goodwill when creating your profile, for you to give a short description of your past experience, and for you to add a clear, high-quality photo of yourself.

I’m a Student…. Can I Become a Tutor?

Students are highly sought-after as tutors. Having recently finished or currently studying your chosen discipline, you have an ideal profile to give peer tutoring or mentoring from home, and homework support for school students. In addition, students at university or business school often have versatile skill sets that enable them to offer courses to those who need help across a variety of subjects. Whether you’re a physics tutor, Spanish tutor, ESL teacher or biology tutor, everyone is welcome on Superprof. Tutoring jobs are great for students looking for part-time or holiday work, that fits in with their busy timetables and active social lives.

Jobs for Ex-Teachers in SA: Life After Teaching

Want a career change from teaching? Leaving the formal education system is rarely an easy decision for teachers wondering how to get out of teaching. Being a teacher is one of the hardest jobs there is and one that can be very rewarding at times, but for many, the negatives of a job in teaching substantially outweigh the positives. But do not fear, there are many jobs for retired teachers and ex-teachers. The skills that make a teacher can be transferred to many other career paths. Why not consider becoming a private tutor or an online tutor from the comfort of your own home. Tutoring is one of many other jobs for teachers and with Superprof’s guides on how to be a tutor; it has never been easier to search for jobs in education other than teaching. As a home tutor you may enjoy the freedom to develop your own style and curriculum not permitted within the education system. You could even teach a subject that you’re skilled in, yet not permitted to teach within school. For example, a physics teacher is fully authorised to begin Maths tutoring jobs, English tutoring jobs, or online TEFL jobs.

What is Required of Private Tutors in SA?

As a tutor working for yourself there are a number of legal considerations to think about to protect yourself and your students. It’s important to keep your income and taxes up to date and a legal requirement to declare your income. Superprof is not involved in the payment process between tutors and students: it is for both parties to decide how they want payment to happen, whether it's in cash, by bank transfer, or via other means. Insure yourself. It’s not a legal requirement to be insured as a tutor in SA, but it’s a standard practice to do so. Consider public liability insurance, business and portable equipment insurance and professional indemnity insurance. Be aware of health and safety. This means providing a safe environment for students to learn. This is very important if you plan to teach from your home. Advertise honestly. Every claim you make must be factually correct, and you should be able to provide documentary proof of any qualification you claim to hold. It’s not a legal requirement for tutors to have a DBS check in the SA. However, this can provide reassurance, especially to parents of students.

How Do I Create My Own Tutor Advert?

Creating your tutoring ad could not be simpler, just follow the step by step instructions on Superprof and fill out each section. Here are a few helpful tips to help make it as visible as possible to potential students, allowing them to find you: Highlight your strengths and mention your skills, your experience, etc. Ask yourself why a potential client may choose you over another tutor. Explain what differentiates you and makes your private lessons exceptional. Describe your teaching style and methodology. Tell your story. Teaching is not just about passing on your knowledge, it is also about building a bond of trust with your students. Showing your human side is very important. Showing that you’re an interesting and thoughtful person, willing and capable of listening to others. Mention your hobbies, groups you’re part of, your travels, your past work experience, and successes in life. Focus on the benefits. What are you providing to your future students? Try to avoid technical terms that are difficult to comprehend, as well as vague terms and phrases. For example, do not just say “I teach Maths at all levels and for all abilities", mention the exact levels at which you teach (primary school, matric, college etc.) as well as the exact topics (algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, etc.) Include a picture that makes you stand out. Clear frontal photos of your face are an important way for students and teachers to learn about each other. You will increase the number of contacts you make tenfold by adding a high quality picture of yourself. Review your ad. An advertisement full of mistakes will not be taken seriously. Re-read your ad with a text editor and make a final review before publishing.

Why Be Responsive to Lesson Requests?

If your tutor listing interests a potential student, Superprof will automatically send you an email/SMS to let you know that a student wants to take a class with you. Be reactive! Some students contact several tutors at once to be sure to find a perfect fit. The longer you wait to answer them, the more likely it is that the student will find another teacher. The more responsive you are, the more Superprof will improve the visibility of your ad (reactivity is part of Superprof's selection criteria) in search results.

Why Become a Tutor?

Everyone has a passion to share or a skill to teach. Tutoring is great for people looking for a flexible schedule, part-time teaching jobs, online teaching jobs, careers after teaching, or to start their own business. Superprof is completely free to use for tutors, and with over 35 000 daily requests for lessons across our platforms, your ad will get great visibility. Superprof offers everyone the chance to teach, providing everything from online tutoring jobs for students, online tutoring jobs for teachers, Matric level Maths tutor jobs, dance teacher jobs, French tutoring jobs, art tutor jobs and thousands more. After being registered in Superprof for just one month, Celine, an online math tutor based in the UK, now has 4 students and gives 24 hours of Maths lessons a month. Her hourly rate is R250 per hour and she has earned R6 000 on top of her income as a teacher. Learn how to tutor maths yourself.

I am a School Teacher ... Am I Authorised to Tutor Privately as Well?

Absolutely! In fact a survey in 2016 showed that in SA nearly half of all government employed teachers have worked in private tutoring at some point in their careers. To date, over 40 000 teachers have chosen to use Superprof to find private tutoring jobs and offer private lessons. Why not teach in a more relaxed and studious environment as a private tutor or online tutor? No rowdy classrooms to control, no detentions to issue. Get paid a great hourly wage with one-on-one lessons and be your own boss! In SA there are no laws against offering private tuition while employed as a teacher and many supplement their incomes by offering in-home tutoring and online tutoring. It is essential to check the policy of your individual school or tutoring agency; however, as some establishments place restrictions on teachers’ ability to tutor children from their own classes or school. You may want to limit your tutoring to students outside your class or school, even if not directed to do so, to avoid any conflicts of interest such as perceived favouritism that might arise. It is also important to remember that teaching and tutoring can be quite different and require alternative skills. Tutors require fewer qualifications but may have the passion and desire necessary to be great one-on-one instructors.

I’m an Expert in My Field ... Can I Give Private Tuition?

For experienced musicians, aspiring computer scientists and sports coaches, Superprof’s platform is a great way to meet students and develop your home tutoring jobs or companies. By creating your tutor ad, you’re increasing your visibility across SA and our sites around the world! Collect testimonials from past and current students and watch your lesson requests sky rocket. Whether you're a certified teacher, guitar tutor, writing tutor, algebra tutor, French tutor or chemistry tutor looking for students, you've come to the right place! Whatever your profile: advertising via Superprof is entirely free for tutors. You set your own hourly rates and pay zero commission to Superprof.

What Subjects Can I Teach?

At Superprof, we offer more than 1 000 subjects across dozens of categories (sports, academia, hobbies, music, etc). You don’t necessarily have to be a qualified teacher to be an effective tutor or mentor. For example, a professional pianist is obviously qualified to give piano lessons, but teaching involves much more than certification. It requires passion; love for your craft, enthusiasm and the ability to foster these attributes in your students. A piano teacher does not necessarily have to be a concert pianist, but they must have good ideas on how to become one and how to master the instrument and the music. If you want to start tutoring English or any other language, you need to have mastered the language yourself, be fluent or bilingual and able to explain concepts in writing, grammar and accent reduction. You may also be required to teach your students the basics of culture and history of the countries where the language is spoken.

Why Should I Offer My First Lesson for Free?

If you do not have a review from a student already, Superprof requires you to offer your first session for free, however this does not have to be a formal lesson. The first meeting is usually reserved for getting to know each other, understanding the aims and objectives of the student and agreeing on a teaching plan that works for everyone. The first meeting can take the form most convenient to both parties. Even if you do have a review, Superprof recommends that you offer the first class for free because: It allows you to make a connection with the student. The purpose of the first meeting is not to give a class to your pupil, but to get to know and understand what their needs are, set up a lesson plan and a teaching method that will allow your pupil to reach his/her goals. It is a small investment for a greater reward. Offering one hour of your time for free to a student who may use your services all year and spread the word about your services is an excellent investment. It reassures students. Students will contact you more frequently as they feel more engaged.

A Specific Approach to Teaching

The most important aspect of your lesson is to restore the student’s self-esteem and build their confidence. Whether you want to teach English, French, computer science, biochemistry, econometrics or piano, it is important to be enthusiastic and encouraging. In a student-teacher relationship, it is essential to implement two-way dialogue where students feel comfortable to ask questions and challenge themselves. There is no magic recipe to tutoring. Each tutor has his or her own syllabus, exercises and tips to help the student succeed. Each tutor must put in the time to create an individualised, structured and personalised programme for each student. Through this approach, the student can acquire new, and reinforce old, methodological skills.